Olympics Update: Team USA Prepares for Slovakia

MILAN — On a rainy Thursday morning, U.S. athletes were speaking to reporters outside the Olympic Village. Lucas Raymond and Tim Stutzle stood nearby, about ten feet from the street, with their suitcases in hand.

The two briefly conversed before jumping into separate Ubers, each heading back to North America. It had been just one day since the semi-finals, and reality was starting to set in.

Interestingly enough, Matthew Tkachuk could’ve been returning to Florida instead of Raymond, who was on his way back to Detroit.

“I don’t think it’s strange,” Tkachuk mentioned. “We expected to reach the semi-finals, but we encountered a tough challenge against Sweden. One of us had to leave, but here we are.” He acknowledged the talent of the opposing team, saying, “It’s unfortunate for them because they are a strong team, deserving of being in the semi-finals just like us. We had a solid game last night.” After the game, they focused on their next challenge against Slovakia.

Despite being a smaller nation with a population of just 5.45 million, Slovakia had notably outperformed expectations at the Milan Games, securing only four medals in ski jumping. They shouldn’t be underestimated.

Unlike Team USA’s recent win against Sweden, where Quinn Hughes scored in overtime, Slovakia’s roster is made up of various players, not just those in the NHL.

In theory, Team USA holds an advantage. But, as demonstrated by Stutzle’s Germany team that hoped to face Slovakia but lost 6-2, things don’t always go as expected.

“We dropped a big chance today,” German defenseman Moritz Seider remarked post-game, highlighting the unpredictability of the tournament.

People often misjudged Slovakia in this competition, which played to their benefit. They even defeated Finland—another semi-finalist—to win their group.

As Tkachuk pointed out, “They’re playing exceptionally well right now. They really outperformed Germany and displayed solid game control. I watched most of their match against Finland, and they were on point.” He added, “They’re tough competitors, getting support from their crowd. They defend strongly and await opportunities. It’s up to us to handle their defense.”

In the unique Olympic atmosphere where time can feel distorted, Team USA returned to the Village around 1 a.m. after playing games that began at 9:10 p.m. locally. They often settle down, play cards, and by then, it’s already past three.

2026 Winter Olympics

Because of Slovakia’s different game schedule, both teams haven’t interacted much despite being close in proximity. It’s likely that they hadn’t even considered each other as contenders until now.